Molecular Identification of Endophytic Fungi from Rice (Oryza sativa L.) and its Anatagonistic Effect Against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Endophytes are organisms living inside the tissue of the host organism. Most of them usually do not cause detrimental effect to its host species. The study aimed to isolate and identify endophytic fungi from the leaves and roots of rice plant, and evaluates their antagonistic effect against Staphylococcus aureus BIOTECH 158 and Escherichia coli BIOTECH 1634 bacteria. Identification of the collected endophytic fungi was done through PCR based approach using the internal transcribed spacer region of the ITS gene sequence. Three fungi were collected, isolated and were identified as Anthostomella leucospermi (EU552100.1), Ceriporia lacerata (KP689233.1) and Fusarium equiseti (KT277307.1). The isolates Anthostomella leucospermi and Fusarium equiseti have growth inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. On the otherhand, the growth of Ceriporia lacerata was not inhibited by E. coli but inhibited by S. aureus. The potentials of endophytes that have antibacterial property in this study are good source of important bioactive compounds and are important for discovery of drug components also important for industry and in agricultural and biotechnological research

The First Report on the Molecular Identification of Fresh Water Microalgae from Waterfalls of Paracelis, Mountain Province, Philippines

Microalgae belong to diverse groups of complex unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms typically found in the freshwater and marine environment. Towards the isolation and an attempt to report the first molecular identification of freshwater microalgae from the waterfalls of Paracelis, Mountain Province, Philippines, two microalgae were successfully isolated independently, purified, and cultivated for DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction, and sequencing using gene 16s rRNA and rbcL markers. Based on the 16s rRNA sequence, one of the isolates has a 92.05% sequence similarity to Oscillatoriales cyanobacterium (KJ611413). On the other hand, one isolate has 98.27% sequence similarity with Chlorella pyrenoidosa (AB240145) using the rbcL. The morphological features of two microalgae were described and the phylogenetic trees were constructed using the gene marker

DNA barcoding and phytochemical profiling of wild plant "Lal lat tan" from Imugan, Sta Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines

The Philippines hosts a wide-ranging diversity of plant species with pharmacological potential. Species identification on the basis of DNA sequences has been done for some time in plants and used to detect variations among the sequences specifying genetic divergence as a result of molecular evolution during the course of time. In this study, molecular approach as well as phylogentic analysis were conducted to identify the wild plant "Lal lat tan" collected from Imugan, Sta Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. In addition, thin layer chromatography was conducted to determine the bioactive compounds present in the wild plant. For molecular approach, the genomic DNA was extracted from the young leaves using CTAB and amplified using the nrDNA ITS marker. The PCR amplified product was sequenced and subjected for search query analysis using BLAST and was identified as Dendrocnide meyeniana. Using chloroform+methanol as solvent system, the result revealed the presence of saponins, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, anthrones, anthraquinones, terpenes and steroids which are considered as active medicinal phytochemical constituents. Lal lat tan is a wild plant and was known for having stinger leaf that lead to severe itchiness and swelling of eyes and face when touched

Molecular identification and phytochemical profiling of kamiling (wild toxic plant) using thin layer chromatography

Some plants may only be known by the people in their own respective place. Consequently, there is a need for the authentication and further study of wild toxic plant known by indigenous people. The genomic DNA from the leaves of the plant Kamiling collected in Imugan, Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines was extracted and amplified using matK and rbcL gene markers. Sample sequences was queried on GenBank using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) revealed that the sample sequences were identified as Semecarpus cuneiformis using both on matK and rbcL markers. The leaves of Kamiling was subjected through Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and it revealed important phytochemicals such as alkaloids, coumarins, anthraquinones, anthrones, tannins, flavonoids, higher alcohols, phenols, steroids and essential oils. Since there is a growing awareness in correlating the phytochemical constituents of plants with their pharmacological activity, wild toxic plant can be one of the preferences for medicinal uses